"I know you. You are that little annoying girl thirteen years ago."

"So, you remember me."

"How could I not? You bit my arm like a dog. I still have that ugly scar." Raün said angrily while looking at an old scar on his arm. "I couldn't even brag about it because I got it from a brat."

"That was nothing compared to what you did to my mother."

"Right. Your mother. She wouldn't let go of you so I broke her fingers one at a time, didn't I? That snapping sound was so clear, it was satisfying."

"Shut your vile mouth. I will cut your tongue after I slit your throat."

"Oh, such curse words. It doesn't suit your beautiful lips. Get rid of that rebellious eyes and foul mouth and you will be a beauty indeed. Then again, you grew up to be quite similar to your mother. I didn't get to taste her the last time. You must be as tasty as her; maybe more so."

Raün licked his lips as he spoke.

Cleo revulsed at the most loathful eyes and vilest tongue she had ever seen. She didn't want to watch them, not even for one more second. She had enough of it.

"Enough with your hideousness. You don't deserve to be called an agent of god. I shall end your facade, you evil bastard."

She drew the first attack.

Meanwhile, at the east side of the village, Hammer the Red Rider chased down Dovos as his first target. Not only was Dovos slower than the rest, he had the same stature; so, Hammer felt Dovos was a worthy opponent. Also, Dovos had the biggest mouth so shutting him first was better.

"Face me, you big coward. You are a disgrace to all the big men in Midland." Hammer shouted in disappointment. "Is your Warhammer just for show?"

Dovos heard none of it. He was busy running for his life. Who wouldn't when a big warhorse with full body armour was chasing from behind? He glanced at his back. There was only a spear-away distance left. He dared not imagine what would have happened to him if trampled by that iron beast. He could feel the rage from each breath it blew from its nostrils at that distance.

"Three, two," He counted down the number. As it hit one, with the momentum of the swing and the strength of core muscles, he twisted his body and turned around toward his chaser.

"Rwarr!! Don't underestimate me, you dipshit! Eat this!"

Dovos swung his Warhammer hard and hit the red stud at the side of its nape.

The force threw the red beast off the course and Hammer missed his target. A second later his iron mace would burst Dovos' skull like a watermelon.

Even though it took a heavy blow to its nape, the iron beast, however, wasn't thrown down by it. It was just one of the experiences it had met throughout its service to its master, the Red Rider. It tried to recollect itself immediately.

However, Ethan had no intention of letting it happen and Rings knew its master's mind. Before Ethan ordered, it was already on its way to the iron beast at full speed. It went behind its enemy's rear so that Ethan could cut off his enemy's head without resistance.

"Divination!"

Ethan took the chance and cut off Hammer's head. But at the last second, the iron beast turned to the side and protected its master. Thanks to God's hand cast by the clergy, the iron beast regained its posture and made it timely. Hammer raised the shield quickly and blocked the attack, escaping from his demise narrowly. The upper part of the shield was cut off by Ethan's blade but it managed to deter the blade's course.

Ethan chased after Hammer who tried to ride away from the disadvantage position. The iron beast saw Rings chasing side by side near its hind so it slammed its armoured body. Rings was pushed away. Before Hammer got away, Ethan tried to slash him down but Hammer easily deflected the attack with his shield. Even though Ethan cut the shield in the first attack, this time it couldn't even put a dent in it as Hammer used back 'divination' and reinforced his shield.

Hammer immediately rode away from Ethan and repositioned. He told the clergy to give him divine blessing. The clergy complied with his request immediately. Unlike 'divination' which reinforces the blade or the objects, 'divine blessing' strengthens muscles and improves the senses of the living. When two spells were to combine, Hammer became the Red Rider, the most fearsome warrior who defeated an entire army alone.

"You are all dead!" Hammer roared confidently as he waited for his pal.

Contrary to his expectations, the spell did not come. Igüan got to his pal first.

Igüan noticed from the very first moment that he was no match for the iron beast. From afar, he searched for any weak points where he could strike. Despite possession of a pair of eagle eyes for weak spots, Igüan found nothing on the Red Rider. The moment he approached him, he would be crushed either by the iron beast or the iron mace. Then, he found something interesting. The reason why the red rider was undefeatable.

"Hell, I may not be able to beat him. But sure I can make him weak."

While the soldiers from Temple were all focused on the fight between Ethan and Hammer, Igüan approached them stealthily. With some mud and grass on the shield, he camouflaged on the grass plain, just like he did so in the snow. When he reached the right distance, he threw the shield like a boomerang toward the clergy.

The edge hit the clergy right in the jaw and knocked him out. Never did they expect a shield would be thrown that way and used as a weapon. They were caught completely off guard.

When Hammer asked for the divine blessing, the clergy was already sent to dreamland by Igüan.

"You shitheads! How could you let that scumbag get close to you? Stop watching and get him!" Hammer furiously yelled at his men. "If you still haven't caught him after I have taken care of my business, I will kill you guys first." He ordered his men to go after Igüan. Frightened to their bones, the soldiers immediately set out for Igüan. They encircled him quickly and formed a death trap with their polearms. They were quick on their feet since the encirclement formation was the most basic one in exterminating the monster.

"Formation, attack!" The leader gave the command. The iron tips of the poles came in quickly toward Igüan. They were meant to make him a skewer.

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The flashes of iron went over his head, grazing his hair, as Igüan sat down on the ground. He, then, lay on the floor with his shield above, covering himself from head to toe under the long wooden shield. Since it was made of a very hard wood, the spears could not pierce through it. Although it was not enough to save him from the deadly encirclement, it did buy him some time to unite with his friend.

"Rwarr!!" Dovos came charging like a bull toward the encirclement from behind, breaking it apart. A swing of his hammer crushed the ribs and spines of his victims. While the soldiers were in confusion, Igüan seized the opportunity and got out of the encirclement.

"Thanks, man. I was really pinned down. I thought I was a goner."

"Crazy idiot. Who told you it is a good idea to go into a score of enemies?"

The two bickered as soon as they were united even though their enemies were right at the front.

"Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"Absolutely."

Hammer grunted frustratingly after the disappointing failure of his men to get Igüan.

"I take it; you guys are not mere bandits, nor are you here for the gold. You are after my head."

"Yes. You are right about that."

"You look familiar. Who are you? Spill it. Did I kill your friend? Or is it your brother? Family? Or is it because I played with your lover? Wait, you can't be the father of that annoying child there months ago, are you?"

As Hammer speculated who Ethan might be, Ethan got furious. 'Did this bastard even kill a child? How rotten could these scumbags be?' He convulsed at the nature of him.

It was because of the Temple. When Mordu' rose to the peak of Hierarchy, so did the Temple and his loyal followers. He gave ultimate power to his loyal men, unhindered by any authority of the Crown. This unchecked power leads to corruption, and this corruption brings immense suffering to society.

"This is not personal. But I am starting to feel like one. I would hate myself if I couldn't kill you here and let another suffering happen."

Ethan's conviction became stronger after talking with Hammer. He held his sword with two hands showing toward the sky and spoke gently, "O' Almighty. If you ever are there watching upon us, I ask of you to confide me strength to rid of this evil using your name in their acts of malevolence. With this blade, let me sow the seeds of truth and correct this corrupted soil. Divination."

Unlike countless times he had cast this spell, this time his blade brightened up, and he could see his reflection on the blade clearly like a mirror. He also felt it became lighter and stronger. So did his body. He had never felt this much confidence before. And Rings also felt it. When Ethan commanded, it charged straight toward the iron beast without a fraction of hesitation.

"Humph. You must have a death wish. Fine. I am starting to get annoyed by this game anyway. Let's end this." Hammer tapped the hind of his mount with the mace and the iron beast started to speed.

The two riders rode at full speed and met each other in the ultimate clash. Rings swayed to the side avoiding the head but the iron beast noticed it and slammed its body. Even though Rings was hit by a wall of iron and bruised by the sharp edges, it didn't falter this time. The blood dropped to its hoof, painting its white ankle ring red but it stood its ground firm withstanding all the pains so that its master could attack the enemy.

Ethan understood the effort and pains Rings had been withstanding so he decided to end this quickly. He slashed Hammer right to the neck but Hammer leaned backwards dodging the blade. For a big guy like Dovos, Hammer was quite more nimble than Dovos, even in the armour.

Hammer stroke back with the mace. Ethan quickly blocked it with the blade supporting it with two hands. He pushed it back.

The two fighters circled back and went for another round again, each shouting their loudest cry to intimidate the other.

"Rwarr!!"

"Grrr!!"

The grass flew out and the soil was dug in along the path where the hooves of the two beasts landed. At the mesmerising speed, the two fighters met at the same place.

This time, Hammer meant to end it. He had the shield at the front to block any attack and the mace to take Ethan to the netherworld.

The same conviction was in Ethan's mind.

As soon as the two beasts were about to cross each other, Ethan stood up on the stirrups and raised his blade.

"F*CK me." Hammer noticed his plan and tried to stop or change the course but he was too late. As the last effort, he reinforced the armour of his iron beast.

Despite his divination was the top of his peers, the stainless blade cut the armour and sank into the black mane and red flesh of the iron beast and separated the head from the body. As soon as the blade split the ivory bone and cut the milky cord of the spine, the beast shook as if it was electrocuted and crushed to the ground along with its rider. Hammer tried to hit Ethan in a desperate attempt but his beast took him down before he could.

He was trapped underneath it. It was too heavy to move even for him. With one leg crushed beneath it, he desperately asked for help from his men. However, he found them being held back by Dovos and Igüan.

"F*cking useless," Hammer swore. As he watched Ethan getting off and walking slowly toward him, he asked him why. "You are here for money, right? Take it. Take it all and leave. We won't pursue you. You kill me and you will never be able to live peacefully. My father is the chancellor of Midland. He will never stop until he finds the killer of his son. So think about it. Take the money, go home, take a nice bath and have some good food and drinks with that money. Live like a king for a day."

"Is that a threat?"

"No. More like advice. Trust me. You will be appreciating my advice after sleeping with some whores and eating delicious foods and drinks."

Ethan smiled meaningfully. "I might. But I happen to have sworn an oath to a person that I will live a cursed life." He readied his sword.

"You son of a whore! Don't take another step or I will gut you and feed it to a pig." He shot a fireball but Ethan easily dispelled it. "I am an agent of god. Harm me and you shall burn in seven hells. The Lord will not—"

Before Hammer finished his bullsh*t, Ethan dashed and sank his blade to the heart then twisted it. He didn't want to hear any more of it. In God's name, these people had raped women. In his name, these agents of god had robbed the properties of people. In his name, these agents of god had murdered many people who did not sympathise with them. In his name, these agents of god had acted their malevolence like it was the truth and no one could question them. Not anymore.

"If that's what your Lord's truth is, then he must be from hell."